One of the best ways to keep your dog, fit, happy & healthy is to provide a regular outdoor exercise routine. Regardless of age, breed or size, most dogs will benefit from a daily walk.
Dogs gain a great sense of environmental context & information about other dogs from sniffing whilst out on walks. Did you know that dogs have around 200-300 million scent receptors & the part of their brain devoted to analysing smells is a lot larger than ours.
If your dog is a bit nervous on walks, you could go at quiet times & provide distance between your dog & the 'scary' thing (strange people, dogs). Be your dog's eyes & ears when outdoors. If you spot a 'tricky' situation in the distance, like an extremely hyperactive dog, or lots of noisy young children, turn and go the other way in order to avoid any potential negative outcome for your puppy or dog.
Puppies can be a bit daunted on walks to begin with, so offer lots of encouragement & it won't be long before the walks become the highlight of your dog's day! Establishing a walking schedule as soon as possible is great to help with your puppy's early learning & toilet training habits.
However, if your dog is unable to go out for walks due to severe anxiety or illness, providing your dog with an alternative form of enrichment like spending time in the garden or indoor activities like seeking/sniffing games and a Kong would help to meet your dog's daily needs.
If appropriate outlets are not provided to your dog, this could potentially lead to anxiety & other behaviour issues, like hyperactivity, barking & excessive chewing. When a regular enrichment schedule is in place for your dog, you will start to notice the positive long-term impact this has on their behaviour generally.
Please contact Faith at www.pandapetservices.com for dog behaviour modification training or 121 puppy training or call 07941 640348. As pet professionals, we are happy to discuss our services anytime. Thank you & good luck with your lovely pet.